Google Rolls Out Chromebooks in Six New Markets

Starting on March 19, Google and its hardware partners Acer, HP, and Samsung will begin selling Chromebooks in six new countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Chromebooks in Canada will be in the $250-300 price range, similar to the US cost. Australians will have to pay between $300 to $350 while the new European recipients can expect to lay out about 300 euros, which is around $400 USD.

Google hopes Chromebook sales will match or preferably exceed those in the the UK, which currently equate to more than 10 percent of laptop sales at UK computer retailers Currys and PC World.

Chromebooks for Education and Business programs will be launched in the six new markets as well with events being scheduled to introduce the Chrome-based computers.

In the next few weeks, more than 1,000 Best Buy stores throughout the US will be selling Chromebooks, double the existing number right now.

About Cliff Boodoosingh

Cliff Boodoosingh has been writing on Internet-based technology for more than 10 years. At Dow Jones he covered the money markets, Canadian dollar and daily hot stocks. He authored Regional Analysis sections and competitor profiles for business intelligence reports on the mobile/wireless markets at Marcus Evans. He recently moved from managing digital publications and media coverage for the Technology Division at VerticalScope to oversee content development at Rates.ca, a new personal finance portal.